Herbal Remedy Suggestions?
June 30, 2011 by admin
Filed under Aroma Diffusers
My dad just built me a greenhouse for my 16th birthday and I’ve been wanting to grow herbs for a while now. I’ve done some research and have a pretty long list of some things I want to grow (i.e chamomile, lavender, penny royal, peppermint). I also know that I would love to make tinctures and maybe dry some herbs for aroma therapy uses. Does anyone have any more suggestions for herbal remedies and maybe some tips on getting started? Thanks!
Cannabis
sorry i dont have tips, but i would just like to say how jealous i am of you! i want a greenhouse!
Hibiscus! not sure if you can grow that but its apparently the main ingredient in my chinese blood pressure tea. oh you could do rosemary, chives, oregano, though those are more of seasonings, but still. but why stick to herbs? you can grow tomatoes, strawberries, little yellow cherry tomatoes. lots of stuff.
Arnica and Calendula are two major herbal remedies for pain/bruising and skin problems. It’s always a good idea to get a few good reference books to have on hand, and it’s far cheaper to buy stock bottles, etc. in bulk if you’re going to get serious. You need a good clean place to dry your herbs. Making tinctures requires glycerin and ethyl alcohol — the latter you’ll probably have to rely on someone legal age to acquire for you.
Nothing you grow is going to have any medical or therapeutic benefit whatsoever. Save yourself the time, effort and eventual disillusionment by focusing on color combinations you find enjoyable.
You can make tinctures yourself at home, but it is strongly advised to enlist an herbalist’s help for safety reasons, as well as to answer question of potency.
The basic process is as follows:
1.Start with finely cut or powdered herbs in a wide-mouthed jar (general rule is 8 oz. dried herb per 1 quart alcohol/water).
2. Fill the jar with a 50-50 mixture of food-grade grain alcohol and water (this is the general rule for dried herb only), and close tightly.
3. Shake the jar each day, a few minutes at a time each day, for at least 14 days.
4. After two weeks, strain this mixture into a bowl Also squeeze the excess moistened herb through a cheesecloth into a bowl.
5. Take the liquid in the bowl and strain again into a jar, this time through a coffee filter to capture the small particles that remain
6. Using a baster, transfer the liquid into small, dark-glass dropper bottles. (Many pharmacies sell, or will special order, these dark bottles.)
Store the tincture in a cool, airy place out of direct sunlight.
Now you are ready to treat family members from your own kitchen dispensary.